Market Farming

["Mike Bosko" <mjbosko AT jmtsystems.com>]

I have a good friend that runs 2 tractors for her broilers -non egg
production chickens.  It works very well for her.  The chickens can get in
out of the rain and heat of the sun.  They are nestled in a canyon with
plenty of coyotes, badgers and other predators - and has yet to lose a bird
to them.  She did have one problem when she first got the tractor - moved it
too fast and hurt a couple chicks.  But she loves the tractors and has
encouraged me to start making a pair for myself.  I'm building one that has
laying boxes for my RI's.

I'm not sure I understand the fellow who didn't' think it was fair to the
birds.  The chickens get new feed each day, aren't stuck in a henhouse, and
are protected from the predators.  They get to eat fresh green grass and new
bugs.  So long as you don't over crowd them - I see it as a great humane
thing for the birds.  Clipping the wings seems more inhumane than near free
range tractors.

-Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of Nicole
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 12:45 PM
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [Market-farming] Re: eggs

I read Chicken Tractor (by Andy Lee). It looks good on paper, but the
realities of weather and etc. make it impractical. Andy Lee has
apparently come up with a much better system called Day Ranging, where
the chickens free-range or are pastured during the day, and naturally go
back to roost in their coop at night. There should be plenty of info on
the net about day ranging, and apparently Mr. Lee is active in
discussions about it, though I don't know if it's on message boards or
email lists (or both).

Nicole in KY
who doesn't have chickens because of the neighbor's dog... sigh...

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